This zine is dedicated to symphonic black metal,avant garde metal,folk metal,melodic black metal, and black/doom metal, for more information contact deathdoomgrinddeath@yahoo.com, I have also created a more death and doom metal orientatated zine bringerofdeathzine.blogspot.com/ some articles have been moved there and so will more in the future so check that zine out as well

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Maleficentia are a band from France that plays a very symphonic form of black metal and this is a review of their 2014 album "Finis Gloriae Mundi" which was released by Khaos Division Productions.

A very sci-fi and symphonic sound starts off the album along with some classical elements and after the intro the music goes for more of a melodic black metal sound along with some grim screams and blast beats while also keeping the symphonic elements and the band also adds deep death metal growls into certain sections of the recording.

There is a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts present throughout the recording along with all of the musical instruments all having a very powerful sound to them and when solos and leads are utilized they remain true to a melodic black metal tradition and a good portion of the tracks are also very long and epic in length.

At time s the synths bring in a feeling of an old gothic horror movie soundtrack and they also bring in a brief instrumental before returning back to vocals on the following tracks along with some songs also adding in a brief use of classical guitars while the main focus remains more on a melodic and symphonic style of black metal.

Maleficentia plays a style of melodic black metal that is very symphonic and more closer to the 90's style than the modern day version, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover darkness and war themes.

In my opinion Maleficentia are a very great sounding symphonic black metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Among Wilted Hellebores" "The Crimson Path" and "My Last Curse". 8 out of 10.